GB2271128A - Drain unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A drain unit for use in a central floor location, i.e. away from a wall, comprises a square central plate 1 with a circumferential flange 2 of reduced thickness. A central well 3 has an aperture 4 to allow access to a drain trap. Inclined channels 5 are provided to assist water to flow from the surface of the plate 1 into the well 3 and aperture 4. In use the unit is secured to a floor area above a drain trap using screw/pin holes 6 in the flange 2. When sheet flooring is laid around the drain, an aperture the size of central plate 1 is cut in the sheet so that the edges of the sheet lie over the flange 2, to which the sheet can be secured with adhesive, abutting the stepped edge of plate 1. Also described is a mid-wall drain unit and a corner drain unit. <IMAGE>

Description

DRAIN UNIT This invention is concerned with a drain unit. In particular the invention is concerned with drainage of areas such as showers or bathrooms that are covered with continuous sheet flooring.

In the past the floors of large shower areas or bathrooms or other areas that are routinely flooded with water or sluiced down, have been covered with glazed tiles. Drain units or gullies have been provided in place of one or more tiles.

The edges of the drain units abut the tile edges so as not to impede the flow of water into drain apertures in the drain unit.

Recently there has been increased use of continuous sheet flooring in such areas. The flooring is usually continued up the adjacent walls to provide a smooth transition between floor and wall that is easy to clean and leak-free.

There is a need for a drain unit (or gully) that can be satisfactorily used with such flooring.

In one aspect, for a near-wall location, the present invention provides a drain unit comprising a plate having a drainage aperture or a well for location of an orifice of a drainage pump wherein the plate includes an upstanding portion at right angles to the portion containing the aperture or well. In preferred embodiment the edge of the plate is adapted to receive, in use, the edge of an aperture cut in a flooring sheet to accommodate the drain unit.

In another aspect, for a location distant from a wall the present invention provides a drain unit comprising a plate having a drainage aperture or a well for location of a drainage pump wherein the edge of the plate is adapted to receive, in use, the edge of an aperture cut in a flooring sheet to accommodate the drain unit.

Typically, the edge of the plate may be chamfered or rebated so that in use it can lie under or over the edge of the aperture cut in the flooring sheet.

Preferably the drain unit has a stepped edge to produce a flange which lies under the flooring sheet. The aperture in the flooring sheet is then made smaller than the external dimensions of the drain unit. The overlapping surfaces can easily be made watertight with sealants or adhesives.

When the drain is positioned away from a wall, the plate may be circular or rectangular with a continuous stepped edge.

Such a plate would normally be provided with a drainage aperture for connection to a conventional underfloor drainage trap, or to a manifold for use with a drainage pump.

When the drain is positioned near a wall so that easy access is available for an above-floor drainage pump, it may be convenient for the plate to be formed with a shallow well rather than a drain aperture. A suction pipe extending generally downwards towards the well can then be provided connected to a drainage pump. The well is preferably dimensioned for location of the filter cartridge of the inlet of a conventional drainage pump.

For a near-wall location, the plate preferably includes an upstanding (in use) portion at right angles to the portion containing the aperture or well. The junction between the two portions is usually radiused to match the radius expected at the transition of the floor covering from floor to wall.

The edges of the upstanding portion are also rebated/chamfered in continuation of the floor plate. The upper edge of the wall plate may be shaped differently if, for example, the sheet flooring is continued only to skirting board height and the wall is thereafter tiled.

A drain is often most conveniently positioned in the corner of a shower area (bathroom etc). Therefore the drain unit is most preferably formed as a corner unit having two upstanding portions at right angles to each other (and to the floor portion). Again the floor portion may be apertured for connection to underfloor drainage or have a well for pumped drainage.

By appropriate selection of the radius between floor and wall portions, a space may be provided behind the installed unit to allow passage of pipework from the filter cartridge/inlet located in the well, to a remote location of the pump.

Considering the usual thickness of flooring sheets, the drain unit is most suitably formed or moulded from plastics to provide a relatively thin, substantially rigid unit.

Three embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 shows a central-floor unit Fig. 2 shows a mid-wall unit Fig. 3 shows a corner unit.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows (a) plan and (b) sectional (on-line C-C) views of a drain unit for use in a central floor location, i.e. away from a wall. The unit has a square central plate 1 with a circumferential flange 2 of reduced thickness. A central well 3 has an aperture 4 to allow access to a drain trap. Inclined channels 5 are provided to assist water to flow from the surface of the plate 1 into the well 3 and aperture 4.

In use the unit is secured to a floor area above a drain traP using screw/pin holes 6 in the flange 2. When sheet flooring is laid around the drain, an aperture the size of central plate 1 is cut in the sheet so that the edges of the sheet lie over the flange 2, to which the sheet can be secured with adhesive, abutting the stepped edge of plate 1.

If this unit is placed sufficiently close to a wall it may be feasible to use it in association with a drainage pump with above-floor pipework. Accordingly the well is dimensioned so as to be able to receive a filter cartridge of the water inlet of a conventional pump drainage system. Accordingly it may be convenient to supply the unit without the aperture 4, and to mark the floor of the well 3 with scorelines or other weakened areas so that the centre can be removed to create aperture 4. Alternatively drain units may be formed solely with an aperture or solely with a well.

For location near a wall, it is more convenient to provide a unit as shown in Fig. 2 in front (a) elevation, (b) plan and (c) sectional (on line A-A) views.

In this embodiment a semi-circular floor contacting part has a plate 21 surrounded by a flange 22. A well 23, aperture 24 and channels 25 perform the same function as parts 3, 4, 5 in Fig. 1.

Additionally the unit has an upstanding wall on contacting portion 27 with an associated flange 28, which is a continuation of the flange 22. Screw holes 26 allow the unit to be secured to floor and wall, but of course adhesives may also be used. The flanges 22 and 28 allow the unit to abut in a neat and leak tight fashion with sheet flooring that is applied without break to floor and wall.

By providing an appropriate radius to the transition between the floor and wall parts, a space is created the unit is installed that will allow passage of pipework 29 for connection to a drainage pump. If such a drainage system is used, then the well 23 is provided with an non-apertured floor. The filter cartridge of a pump drainage system may then be located in the well. As before, the floor of the well may be marked/weakened to allow removal of the central portion to create aperture 4. The unit can then be used with a conventional drain trap.

Fig. 3 shows a further development that allows the drain unit to be placed in a corner of an area subject to water flooding. Two wall contacting surfaces are provided at right angle to reach other. Apart from this, the rest of the unit is analogous to that shown in Fig. 2.

For use with floor coverings currently available, it has been found convenient to make the flanges 2, 22 of thickness about 2mm and depth about 20mm, and the thickness of portion 1, 21 about 5mm. The well 3, 23 is conveniently about 86mm in diameter to accommodate filter cartridges currently in use.

The overall dimensions are not critical, and may be varied for specific applications. In general it has been found useful for the upstanding portions to be about 150mm in height and for the central plate 1 to have sides of about 150mm in length.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:

1. A drain unit comprising a plate having a drainage aperture or a well for location of an orifice of a drainage pump wherein the edge of the plate is adapted to receive, in use, the edge of an aperture cut in a flooring sheet to accommodate the drain unit.

2. A drain unit comprising a plate having a drainage aperture or a well for location of an orifice of a drainage pump wherein the plate includes an upstanding portion at right angles to the portion containing the aperture or well.

3. A drain unit according to Claim 2 wherein the plate includes two upstanding portions at right angles to each other and to the portion containing the aperture or well.

4. A drain unit according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the edge of the plate is adapted to receive, in use, the edge of an aperture cut in a flooring sheet to accommodate the drain unit.

5. A drain unit according to Claim 1 or Claim 4 wherein the edge of the plate is chamfered or rebated.

6. A drain unit according to Claim 5 wherein the edge of the plate is stepped to form a flange.

7. A drain unit substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. la/b, Figs. 2a/b/c or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.